A few weeks ago, the weather got so warm we could wear casual clothes like it was summer. I honestly thought winter would end early this year, but that false hope was dashed again. 

One day it hit around 65 degrees, and a few days later it was snowing. I usually don’t mind the cold, since proper clothing solves that problem, but walking on the sidewalk isn’t much fun when there’s snow and ice everywhere. 

It felt like over-complaining when I said Ames needs better planning for clearing sidewalks. But a few days ago, I realized a lot of people share the same sentiment, and now I feel more confident in sharing my thoughts. I really think Ames should be better prepared when it comes to clearing sidewalks and roads after snow. 

Admittedly, Ames isn’t the biggest city in Iowa, but it does have one of the most popular colleges in the state. That means there are a lot of students roaming around in Ames. Unfortunately, ever since I got to Ames, when winter hits, the sidewalks are covered in snow for a long time. 

I understand clearing and de-icing everything takes time, and weather predictions won’t always be accurate. But sometimes, even after a week, a decent chunk of roads and sidewalks are still covered with snow and ice. That’s a problem, because it can cause road accidents and people slipping on the sidewalk. I’ve personally heard at least a few of my buddies slip just within the span of a few hours. Obviously we all have to be more aware when walking or driving during winter, but sometimes slipping and swerving are inevitable even when we’re being extra cautious.

Overall, the situation definitely isn’t the worst, and as I said before, clearing and de-icing takes time. But I genuinely feel that there’s room for improvement when it comes to Ames’ snow plan for roads and sidewalks.